Being a compelling form, art can always be utilized to turn something ‘unattractive’ into magnificent wonders, and French artist Ememem has made use of its inner force to ‘fix’ the fractures on pavements, sidewalks and building facades.
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Source: Ememem Flacking
Ememem is able to turn defects into vivid art pieces by filling the cracks with colorful mosaic art. Geometric motifs with multi-colored stripes and radial patterns are embedded in the urban art installations, bringing the otherwise dull gray asphalt and cement to life.
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Source: Ememem Flacking
Employing ceramic tiles, wood, and bitumen, the Lyon-based artist mended the fractures and potholes in the streets, while describing his mosaic art as ‘flacking’, an Anglicism derived from the French word ‘flaque’ meaning a ‘puddle’.
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Source: Ememem Flacking
Ememem’s self-defined term is used metaphorically to refer to an area appearing completely dissimilar to its environment. The colorful design and distinguishable pattern filling in the fractures juxtapose the monotonous gray surroundings of the pavement and sidewalk.
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Source: Ememem Flacking
Moreover, the tiled piece of artwork offers the illusion of a picturesque layer lying beneath the surface. The mysterious artist, famous in Lyon as ‘the pavement surgeon’, chooses to hide his identity, traveling around the city before sunsets to find cracks and potholes to ‘flack’.
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Source: Ememem Flacking
The artist would ride his moped and come back to the location at night to perform his work in secret, after making the design and preparing enough materials. The name Ememem is coined from the sound of the artist’s very own moped.
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Source: Ememem Flacking
The Lyon-based artist has been adorning his city’s streets with colorful mosaic art since 2011. In 2016, his unique artworks have been spreading to other towns and cities across France. His artworks quickly became viral, earning him international fame after he shared them on his Instagram.
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Source: Ememem Flacking
In addition to France, he had also accepted commissions in Barcelona, Madrid, Melbourne, Oslo, Turin, and Aberdeen. With more than 130,000 followers on Instagram who wish to see his face, Ememem still stands firm on keeping his identity secret that he constantly refuses requests for interviews.
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Source: Ememem Flacking
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Source: Ememem Flacking
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Source: Ememem Flacking
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Source: Ememem Flacking